The present invention relates generally to digital radiography systems, and more particularly to, a digital radiographic image detector assembly having at least one access opening for troubleshooting, repairing and/or replacing field replaceable components within the detector or components that are external to the detector but attach internally within the detector.
Digital radiography systems, including portable digital radiography systems, have grown in popularity and use over the past number of years. These digital radiography systems facilitate the production of direct, digital X-ray information captured by a flat panel image detector and sent to an image processor or control computer for processing and display.
The portable digital radiography systems typically include a portable X-ray unit with a portable flat panel image detector tethered to the portable X-ray unit with a flexible cable. The tether typically includes cables and/or wiring for transferring power from a power supply or other power source on the X-ray unit to the detector and cables and/or wiring for transferring communications between the X-ray unit and the detector. The tether cable enters the enclosure of the detector for attachment to internal components within the detector. Because of its portable design, the flat panel image detector can be freely positioned in relation to a patient's anatomy when taking X-rays of the patient's anatomy. The portability and flexibility of the tether cable, which is preferred by users, often creates tension and stress on the tether, thereby causing damage to the tether after a period of use, requiring it to be replaced. The only way to replace the tether cable on prior art detectors is to open the entire enclosure, thereby exposing all of the internal components of the detector to the potentially harmful environment of a hospital or clinic.
Having to remove the entire enclosure of the detector creates a risk of potential failure of the detector, because it exposes sensitive electronic components within the detector to moisture, fluids, bodily fluids, cleaning fluids, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, dirt, dust, electrostatic discharge, and other contaminants found in hospitals and clinics. Therefore, exposure of the detector to physical abuse and environmental containments is likely to cause failures in the detector. Thus, it is likely that the tether and other internal components of the detector will need to be repaired and/or replaced periodically over time.
Therefore, it would be desirable to provide a digital radiography detector having at least one access opening for troubleshooting, repairing, removing and replacing field replaceable components within the detector or components that are external to the detector but attach internally within the detector, without having to open the entire enclosure and exposing all of the detector's components to physical damage or contamination, and to reduce the risks associated with field repair, removal, replacement and re-assembly.